SIS LIVE Network Operation CentreIn a huge coup for the broadcast connectivity firm, SIS LIVE is to provide the backbone connectivity for the Ultra HD coverage of the English Premier League offered by Sky Sports in the UK.

SIS says that the announcement follows months of collaboration between the two companies to ensure viewers receive live coverage in the highest possible picture quality. The deal means that from the start of the 2016-17 Premier League football season on 13 August, SIS LIVE will utilise its Anylive fibre network to deliver Ultra HD pictures for 124 games covered by Sky Sports.

The managed fibre connection (up to 850 Mbit/s) will use SIS LIVE’s fibre infrastructure, connecting every Premier League ground to SIS LIVE’s network operation centres in MediaCityUK in Salford and Milton Keynes, in addition to Sky Sports studios in West London. HD reverse vision feeds will be delivered as part of the service, and SIS LIVE is providing Sky Sports with network control on match days by installing Net Insight’s Nimbra touch and switch technology at Sky Sports studios.

SIS LIVE’s technical teams have collaborated with Sky Sports for several months, testing the technology to transmit high resolution 4KTV pictures via its fibre network. John Cuggy, SIS LIVE’s head of Technical Sales Support, and Sky Sports Technical manager Gordon Roxburgh, and the respective teams, have worked through a testing process to achieve what the parties describe as a ‘proven and robust solution.’

Commented Keith Lane, director of Operations, Sky Sports said: “We are delighted to utilise the services of SIS LIVE to help deliver coverage in Ultra HD. We have a long relationship with SIS LIVE and know we can rely on them to work closely with our teams to deliver high standards.”